Romantic partner satisfaction among low‐income mothers: Links to child‐peer and teacher relationships via mother‐child conflict

The current project explores maternal inter‐parental (IP) romantic partner satisfaction in relation to mother‐child conflict and later peer and teacher relations from early to middle childhood among a sample of low‐income, ethnically diverse mothers (N = 271) who were part of a longitudinal study testing the effectiveness of the Family Check‐Up intervention. We hypothesized spillover effects from IP dissatisfaction during early childhood to mother‐child conflict two years later. Greater mother‐child conflict in turn was expected to lead to poorer peer relations and greater conflict with teachers in middle childhood. The results support a spillover effect from lower IP satisfaction at age 3 to higher mother‐child conflict at age 5 to poorer peer relations and greater conflict with teachers at school at ages 8.5, 9.5, and 10.5. Mother‐child conflict significantly mediates these pathways. The results support the importance of IP satisfaction and mother‐child conflict in early childhood as critical factors in pathways leading to low‐income children's social relationships at school during middle childhood.     

myCourtroom: Rosie’s family go to court; the use of simulations in preparing social workers for court

The role of social workers in court, how they prepare, train, write and present their reports, has been the focus of much debate. Key messages from research tell us that social workers often find court work stressful; they can lack confidence in writing reports giving evidence and being cross-examined. Pre-qualification training in this area can be patchy, with many workers reporting they often learn ‘on the job.’ This article documents the journey from analysing primary and secondary research findings, via a partnership between the University of Kent Centre for Child Protection and Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass), to develop a training simulation for practitioners to increase their knowledge, preparation and practice for court. The partnership turned these research findings into an interactive, immersive simulation to give practitioners the space to reflect upon and critique their experiences of court. Findings from an initial evaluation of the simulation were positive with participants highly rating its usefulness in developing courtroom skills and knowledge.     

Family, Neighborhood, and Peer Characteristics as Predictors of Child Adjustment: A Longitudinal Analysis of Additive and Mediation Models

The purpose of this study was to test direct, additive, and mediation models involving family, neighborhood, and peer factors in relation to emerging antisocial behavior and social skills. Neighborhood danger, maternal depressive symptoms, and supportive parenting were assessed in early childhood. Peer group acceptance was measured in middle childhood, and data on antisocial behavior and social skills were collected when boys were 11 and 12 years old. Results were consistent with an additive effects model of child antisocial behavior. In contrast, peer relationships were stronger predictors of social skills than were family factors. Support for mediation was found in models involving neighborhood danger and supportive parenting. However, only peer group acceptance predicted change in antisocial and prosocial behavior. Implications for family and peer relations as socialization contexts are discussed.     

Boys' Maladaptive Social Information Processing, Family Emotional Climate, and Pathways to Early Conduct Problems

Maladaptive social information processing characterizes many children with behavioral adjustment difficulties. Yet, we know little about the antecedents of maladaptive social information processing. The present study examined the relations between early family risk and later maladaptive social information processing and conduct problems in a sample of 178 economically disadvantaged boys. Early childhood assessments of socioeconomic disadvantage (low SES, single parent status, low maternal education) and maternal depression predicted boys’ maladaptive response generation and conduct problems at age 10, accounting for 6% and 14% of the variances, respectively, but not hostile attribution bias. Maladaptive response generation also fit a model of significant partial mediation of the effects of socioeconomic disadvantage on conduct problems. Results suggest the importance of the family's emotional climate during children's early development for their later adjustment.     

Mother–Son Positive Synchrony in Middle Childhood: Relation to Antisocial Behavior

The aim of the present investigation was to examine mother–son positive synchrony and its link to child and best friend antisocial behavior in middle childhood. Data were collected from 122 families with 10‐year‐old children during home assessments. Positive synchrony was rated during a parent–child discussion task. Data were also gathered on parent–child openness and conflict, harsh discipline, parental monitoring, and the child's social information processing. Four domains of child adjustment were assessed: antisocial behavior (ages 8 and 10), best friend antisocial behavior (ages 8 and 10), social skills (age 10), and anxiety/depression (age 10). The results indicated that observed positive synchrony was related significantly to measures tapping parenting, parent–child conflict, and child social information processing, as well as to youth and best friend antisocial behavior. The associations between synchrony and antisocial behavior remained significant after controlling for prior youth adjustment and other child and parenting factors. Developmental implications and suggestions for future research are discussed.     

Towards improved measurement of cognitive and behavioural work demands

Determination of the cognitive and behavioural demands of work is an important part of holistic workplace intervention. Attention to these factors is especially important when developing return-to-work programs for persons with reduced cognitive, behavioural or psycho-emotional capacity, and when designing risk management programs in organizations. Occupational therapists have the background knowledge and skills to assess these components of work, but often lack valid and reliable measurement tools. This paper reports on three field studies that assessed the reliability and validity of ratings made by novice users of the City of Toronto Job Demands Analysis, which includes a measure of cognitive and behavioural work demands. Numerous challenges to accuracy and reliability that are common to empirical measurement were disclosed, including the necessity for clear and strong definitions, and the importance of thorough rater training. Implications for therapist training and mentorship are discussed.     

Moving toward virtual interdisciplinary teams and a multi-stakeholder approach in community-based return-to-work care

More efforts are needed to help stakeholders who are geographically isolated from one another become more collaborative in their approach to return-to-work (RTW). A review of the literature on team processes, and insights from the experiences of a federally funded Round Table Project on Safe and Timely Return to Function and Return to Work were used to inform strategies that might enhance collaboration among health professionals and stakeholders in injury and illness management and return-to-work. A case study serves to highlight the individual, identifies the problem and provides a potential solution at the broader service and system levels. It becomes evident that there is a need for a common language as well as policies that emphasize the importance of fostering awareness of interprofessional potentials and contributions of all stakeholders. Establishing shared goals, and building capacity for sustaining collaboration when multi-stakeholders do not function in the same physical location, but work virtually, might maximize effectiveness, efficiency and productivity.     

Children ever in care: an examination of cumulative disproportionality

Most studies of ethnic disproportionality in child welfare examine data in one of two ways: a point in time approach or an entry cohort approach. While each provides insight into disproportionality, neither gives a full picture of the differences among ethnic groups in the experience of the child welfare system over time. This study uses longitudinal administrative child welfare data to examine ethnic disproportionality in involvement with the child welfare system during the first seven years of life at three levels of contact: (1) initial referrals, (2) substantiated referrals, and (3) first entries. Findings suggest the experience of African American families, and probably Native American families, with the child welfare system is much different from other families.